Jesse Winker ‘extremely excited’ about Mets trade after fan feud

Jesse Winker is eager to switch sides — from Citi Field villain to potential hero.

He sure seems thrilled to be a Met and get to play for the fans who have booed him through the years.

“Once I found out I was coming here I was extremely excited. It’s such a great team, and they’ve been playing so well,” the Mets’ new outfielder said Sunday, shortly after arriving in Queens. “I’ve been in the opposing dugout. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Winker has had a back-and-forth with Mets fans in recent years.

It began in 2019 when he was a member of the Reds.

In one game, he hit a go-ahead home run and waved to the fans at the end of it.

Later in the series, he made a sliding catch to end the game and again waved.

He also once traded a ball for a fan’s sign that read “Jesse Winker you’re a straight up bitch.”

But he had fun with it, saying he “loved” the passion of Mets fans.

Now he will get to experience the other side of it.

“I think we squashed our little thing a couple of years ago. It’ll be cool,” Winker said before the Mets closed out their four-game series against the Braves. “I just want to play hard for them and do whatever I can to help the team win.”

He added: “My first couple of full seasons maybe I was a little on the immature side. I had some fun. But obviously it’s a passionate fan base.”

The Mets traded for the left-handed hitting outfielder late Saturday night, sending Double-A pitching prospect Tyler Stuart to the Nationals.

Winker, 30, caught an early flight out of St. Louis to arrive in time to be activated.

He is an upgrade for an already strong lineup, a needed depth piece that provides patience and pop.

The expectation is he will start against right-handers — Winker is slashing .266/.390/.450 against righties with an .840 OPS and 10 home runs in 229 at-bats — and come off the bench against lefties.

He replaces the struggling DJ Stewart, who was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse before Sunday’s game.

He will also allow the Mets to rest their regulars more often.

“I wouldn’t say an every day player, but he’s going to play,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I could see him playing corner outfield, DH, pinch-hit. … He’s going to get a lot of opportunities, especially against right-handed pitching. He’ll be in there a lot.”

Winker is very familiar with several Mets players.

He grew up playing travel ball with and against both Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, and he’s friends with J.D. Martinez.

When Alonso saw him in the clubhouse, the first baseman pumped his fist and gave him a big hug.

Winker gained 6.5 games in the standings in the trade, and has a chance to reach the postseason for the third time in his eight-year career.

“It’s what you play for. You want to be a part of a playoff race and winning baseball games,” he said. “It’s what you always wanted since you started playing this game.”